


Low

by Elfbert



Category: Life on Mars (UK)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-02-16
Updated: 2011-02-16
Packaged: 2017-10-15 17:21:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 729
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/163096
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elfbert/pseuds/Elfbert
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Drabble Series, set to the track names of the 1977 Bowie Album 'Low' (Side One).</p>
            </blockquote>





	Low

  
_**What in the World** _

Gene had never entirely understood the criminal mind. Some crime was down to laziness, some down to desperation - that was obvious.

It was the others, the ones who wanted to hurt, who did things to harm others for no reason. That was what he didn’t understand – would never understand. He looked down at the broken body at his feet. The man had nothing, had done nothing, and now he was dead – brutally murdered, beaten to death, blood everywhere.

“What would make someone do this?” Annie wondered out loud, closing her eyes.

“What in the world,” Gene murmured, shaking his head.

  
 _**Speed of Life** _

When you wanted things to last, Chris thought, time always went too fast. When you needed time to pass it slowed to a snail’s pace.

And then sometimes, things moved too quickly, but at the same time, they seemed to happen in slow motion.

When the man pulled the gun it had happened so fast. One minute he and Ray had been walking towards the bloke, the next second he had a gun in his hand.

Then it had seemed as if Ray was flying through the air in slow motion, grabbing him, pushing him to safety. And then BANG…

  
 _ **Sound and Vision  
**_  
Ray was in a world of white, a world where nothing existed. Not even him, sometimes. It was silent, eerie.

But there was something there, out of reach, out of sight. Something that kept him anchored - that told him he had to fight, had to keep away from the light that beckoned him like a moth to the flame.

It felt as if he was swimming against the current, and he didn’t know if he had the strength.

And then there was a hand, holding his, helping him. Finally he opened his eyes and saw Chris.

“Ray?”

He squeezed the hand.

  
 _**Be my Wife** _

“Marry me?” Gene murmured, trailing his fingers over hot, smooth, sweaty skin. “Be my wife?”

There was a huff of laughter. “Why do I have to be the girl?”

Gene smiled. “Well I ain’t going to be!”

Sam propped himself up on an elbow. “Always thought you’d look rather good in a pink apron, actually. Chained to the kitchen sink, maybe.”

Gene snorted. “No one chains the Gene Genie to anything.”

“Is that so?” Sam slid his body on top of Gene’s, reaching down to the pile of Gene’s clothing and dangling the handcuffs from his fingers. He smiled wickedly.

  
 _**Breaking glass** _

The sound of the car crash was unmistakeable. He rounded the corner expecting to see the wreckage. But the road was empty, just a lamppost leaning drunkenly. And black skid marks leading to the canal’s edge.

Ray was out of his car in a second, running to the water’s edge. The bubbles were still visible, and without second thought he jumped, hitting the foul water and immediately ducking under, reaching for the door handle, tugging it with all his strength. When it opened there was nothing there.

He broke the surface, looking around.

“Boss!” he shouted.

There was no answer.

  
 **_Always crashing in the same car_ **

Gene watched silently as the car was dragged from the canal.

Ray was standing next to him, still soaked to the skin, with a blanket around his shoulders. “I tried, Guv, but he wasn’t… I couldn’t find him. I did everything…”

Gene ignored him, turning and walking back to the Cortina. He sat in the driver’s seat and looked around. The handle above the door was worn smooth where Sam held on for dear life. The seatbelt was dangling over the edge of the seat, because Sam always wore it.

The advert read “Ford Cortina, Bronze. Genuine reason for sale.”

  
 _**A new career in a new town** _

Gene felt uncomfortable, not that he let it show. He strode into his new office and looked around, distaste clear on his face.

He didn’t like London, he didn’t like the people or the city. It didn’t have the character or the grit of Manchester. It didn’t have the honesty. Businessmen were criminals and criminals were businessmen.

He turned to Ray.

“Get everyone together. Time to introduce them to the Manc Lion.”

Ray nodded, chewing his gum and looking cocky.

He settled behind his new desk and reached into his pocket. He carefully pinned the newspaper clipping to the wall.


End file.
